We left Anastasia in Jolly Harbour for a month while we returned to the UK to meet Florence, Estella and Bertie’s new baby (all doing well). 

 

It doesn’t take long for the wildlife to move in to an empty boat.  We shoved bits of swimming noodles into the end of the boom, but unfortunately the sail stack pack had an opening at the end.  

 

If the incubation period for an Antiguan pigeon is 17 days then they must have moved in the week after we left.  We were hoping the nest just had eggs, but when we unzipped the sailbag we found these.

 

 

Meanwhile mummy pigeon was on the dock fluttering around, doing her best broken wing impression.

 

 

What to do? I suggested drowning them, but Andrea said I could only kill them if I was going to eat them, and I didn’t fancy that idea.

 

We placed the nest in a cardboard box and waited until the evening when mum was settling down with her chicks.  Then I closed the box lid and transported the family (with a very angry mum) to a tree we had chosen earlier.  There I duck taped the box onto a branch and opened the lid.  Mum shot off to a neighbouring tree, but surely she would return and they would all live happily ever after?